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Rain Partier

obviously no doesn't mean no when it is in regards to some stupid role playing amirite?

I'd be upset too if my kids were forced to listen to some arrogant community college kid talk about tolerance for an hour too. If you're going to do all this anti-bullying stuff then at least do it right and get a professional or something.

Rain Partier

obviously no doesn't mean no when it is in regards to some stupid role playing amirite?

I'd be upset too if my kids were forced to listen to some arrogant community college kid talk about tolerance for an hour too. If you're going to do all this anti-bullying stuff then at least do it right and get a professional or something.

Inhouser

I'm sorry, this is screwed up as all hell if you ask me. I remember how unbelievably awkward it was for me in 8th grade trying to be socially accepted and act the right way in every situation so I didn't do anything to make myself look like an idiot. Forcing a kid to approach another kid of the same sex and ask them to kiss is putting that kid in an unbelievably uncomfortable situation...especially the shy ones and the ones who are already the subject of ridicule. You know damn well that the less popular kids were probably mocked later that day, "I bet Ben really wanted a kiss!"...crap like that. I can also guarantee you that none of those kids went through the role play and then thought, "Hmmm...I guess when someone of the same sex asks me to kiss them I should just say no. Thank goodness for this presentation!!!" They were probably all either giggling uncontrollably or beat red with embarrassment...either way they were focused on other things than the actual purpose of the exercise. I mean, for God's sake, explain it to them...you don't have to force them to act it out!

And as for the comments about the difference between flirting and just making out with someone you just met...I'm pretty sure those bar scene politics don't exist too often with 8th graders.

Inhouser

I'm sorry, this is screwed up as all hell if you ask me. I remember how unbelievably awkward it was for me in 8th grade trying to be socially accepted and act the right way in every situation so I didn't do anything to make myself look like an idiot. Forcing a kid to approach another kid of the same sex and ask them to kiss is putting that kid in an unbelievably uncomfortable situation...especially the shy ones and the ones who are already the subject of ridicule. You know damn well that the less popular kids were probably mocked later that day, "I bet Ben really wanted a kiss!"...crap like that. I can also guarantee you that none of those kids went through the role play and then thought, "Hmmm...I guess when someone of the same sex asks me to kiss them I should just say no. Thank goodness for this presentation!!!" They were probably all either giggling uncontrollably or beat red with embarrassment...either way they were focused on other things than the actual purpose of the exercise. I mean, for God's sake, explain it to them...you don't have to force them to act it out!

And as for the comments about the difference between flirting and just making out with someone you just met...I'm pretty sure those bar scene politics don't exist too often with 8th graders.

<( ' . ' )>

DoctorStupid wrote:And as for the comments about the difference between flirting and just making out with someone you just met...I'm pretty sure those bar scene politics don't exist too often with 8th graders.

You'd be amazed. Bar scene in my city is full of 8th graders. Or at least people with the maturity of 8th graders...

To be honest, they may not go to bars but these social standards are going to creep into the movies/TV shows they watch, the music they listen to and the other types of media they provide their attention to. When these social standards start to make their way into kids minds via TV/movies/music, they start to think that this is an acceptable way of life. For example, a lot of kids listen to music, they hear overly sexual lyrics and they think that this constitutes rational behavior and they go do such silly things. Then dudes got charges to beat before they know how to shave.

Another thing that this brought to mind from my high school days was this time when this dude who was like king of the nerd-pile went and asked this girl out in the cafeteria and he got laughed at by the entire 3rd period lunch people and the entire cafeteria was all going nuts. She was pretty upset about it and he might have been too but thinking back it was kind of silly and unfair for all those people to make a big deal about it.

<( ' . ' )>

DoctorStupid wrote:And as for the comments about the difference between flirting and just making out with someone you just met...I'm pretty sure those bar scene politics don't exist too often with 8th graders.

You'd be amazed. Bar scene in my city is full of 8th graders. Or at least people with the maturity of 8th graders...

To be honest, they may not go to bars but these social standards are going to creep into the movies/TV shows they watch, the music they listen to and the other types of media they provide their attention to. When these social standards start to make their way into kids minds via TV/movies/music, they start to think that this is an acceptable way of life. For example, a lot of kids listen to music, they hear overly sexual lyrics and they think that this constitutes rational behavior and they go do such silly things. Then dudes got charges to beat before they know how to shave.

Another thing that this brought to mind from my high school days was this time when this dude who was like king of the nerd-pile went and asked this girl out in the cafeteria and he got laughed at by the entire 3rd period lunch people and the entire cafeteria was all going nuts. She was pretty upset about it and he might have been too but thinking back it was kind of silly and unfair for all those people to make a big deal about it.

Wrasslin' Fan

DoctorStupid wrote:I'm sorry, this is screwed up as all hell if you ask me. I remember how unbelievably awkward it was for me in 8th grade trying to be socially accepted and act the right way in every situation so I didn't do anything to make myself look like an idiot. Forcing a kid to approach another kid of the same sex and ask them to kiss is putting that kid in an unbelievably uncomfortable situation...especially the shy ones and the ones who are already the subject of ridicule. You know damn well that the less popular kids were probably mocked later that day, "I bet Ben really wanted a kiss!"...crap like that. I can also guarantee you that none of those kids went through the role play and then thought, "Hmmm...I guess when someone of the same sex asks me to kiss them I should just say no. Thank goodness for this presentation!!!" They were probably all either giggling uncontrollably or beat red with embarrassment...either way they were focused on other things than the actual purpose of the exercise. I mean, for God's sake, explain it to them...you don't have to force them to act it out!

And as for the comments about the difference between flirting and just making out with someone you just met...I'm pretty sure those bar scene politics don't exist too often with 8th graders.

You're turning it into something it wasn't. I can 100% guarantee not every student was forced to do this. At best, a bunch of students were probably broken into groups of five or some number like that and two members from that group were asked to roleplay the scenario. And I can 100% guarantee if one of those students said "No," then they didn't and another student was asked too.

Also, no, you don't have to be trained professional to give seminars. I thought I responded to that but I must not have.

Also, Rockman, it's easy to say "They should just hire real people to do this" when we don't know the financial situation of the school. All we do know is that the state mandates they do some type of training, apparently. That doesn't always mean the state gives them money for it, which is a different can of worms in and of itself.

Wrasslin' Fan

DoctorStupid wrote:I'm sorry, this is screwed up as all hell if you ask me. I remember how unbelievably awkward it was for me in 8th grade trying to be socially accepted and act the right way in every situation so I didn't do anything to make myself look like an idiot. Forcing a kid to approach another kid of the same sex and ask them to kiss is putting that kid in an unbelievably uncomfortable situation...especially the shy ones and the ones who are already the subject of ridicule. You know damn well that the less popular kids were probably mocked later that day, "I bet Ben really wanted a kiss!"...crap like that. I can also guarantee you that none of those kids went through the role play and then thought, "Hmmm...I guess when someone of the same sex asks me to kiss them I should just say no. Thank goodness for this presentation!!!" They were probably all either giggling uncontrollably or beat red with embarrassment...either way they were focused on other things than the actual purpose of the exercise. I mean, for God's sake, explain it to them...you don't have to force them to act it out!

And as for the comments about the difference between flirting and just making out with someone you just met...I'm pretty sure those bar scene politics don't exist too often with 8th graders.

You're turning it into something it wasn't. I can 100% guarantee not every student was forced to do this. At best, a bunch of students were probably broken into groups of five or some number like that and two members from that group were asked to roleplay the scenario. And I can 100% guarantee if one of those students said "No," then they didn't and another student was asked too.

Also, no, you don't have to be trained professional to give seminars. I thought I responded to that but I must not have.

Also, Rockman, it's easy to say "They should just hire real people to do this" when we don't know the financial situation of the school. All we do know is that the state mandates they do some type of training, apparently. That doesn't always mean the state gives them money for it, which is a different can of worms in and of itself.

When you're as good as Chael, you can only call out people worse than you.

Wrasslin' Fan

For the record, on Friday we're taking a group of seniors to grad bash in Orlando where they'll be with thousands of kids from all over the South (if not America). I feel comfortable with the assumption that at least one of the students from my school will have made out with a student not just from another school but possibly another state before the day is over.

Wrasslin' Fan

For the record, on Friday we're taking a group of seniors to grad bash in Orlando where they'll be with thousands of kids from all over the South (if not America). I feel comfortable with the assumption that at least one of the students from my school will have made out with a student not just from another school but possibly another state before the day is over.

When you're as good as Chael, you can only call out people worse than you.

Inhouser

syxxpakk wrote:You're turning it into something it wasn't. I can 100% guarantee not every student was forced to do this. At best, a bunch of students were probably broken into groups of five or some number like that and two members from that group were asked to roleplay the scenario. And I can 100% guarantee if one of those students said "No," then they didn't and another student was asked too.

It doesn't really make a difference I think. Even if they had the option to opt out, many of them were probably too scared to so they did it anyway, and the ones who did opt out could be made fun of for being a homophobe, or any other number of things. My point is that the exercise seems extremely ineffective, and it only puts children, and please keep in mind these are all young children, in a very awkward and uncomfortable position that they should not have to be in at school...whether that uncomfortable position is pretending they want to kiss another child of the same sex in front of their classmates or having to tell the person who's asking him/her to do it that they don't want to.

In any case, we are all speculating the hell out of this. None of us know exactly how it went down, so how appropriate or inappropriate it all was is going to be easily debatable on both sides without facts. I just feel that it's a subject best dealt with by the parents, or in an optional assembly that the parents are made aware of well in advance. I would be pretty pissed if this happened to my kid. I am a responsible parent and I sure as hell don't want someone I've never met pushing their opinions on the moral code they should be following on such a sensitive subject...I'd like to do that myself thank you.

Inhouser

syxxpakk wrote:You're turning it into something it wasn't. I can 100% guarantee not every student was forced to do this. At best, a bunch of students were probably broken into groups of five or some number like that and two members from that group were asked to roleplay the scenario. And I can 100% guarantee if one of those students said "No," then they didn't and another student was asked too.

It doesn't really make a difference I think. Even if they had the option to opt out, many of them were probably too scared to so they did it anyway, and the ones who did opt out could be made fun of for being a homophobe, or any other number of things. My point is that the exercise seems extremely ineffective, and it only puts children, and please keep in mind these are all young children, in a very awkward and uncomfortable position that they should not have to be in at school...whether that uncomfortable position is pretending they want to kiss another child of the same sex in front of their classmates or having to tell the person who's asking him/her to do it that they don't want to.

In any case, we are all speculating the hell out of this. None of us know exactly how it went down, so how appropriate or inappropriate it all was is going to be easily debatable on both sides without facts. I just feel that it's a subject best dealt with by the parents, or in an optional assembly that the parents are made aware of well in advance. I would be pretty pissed if this happened to my kid. I am a responsible parent and I sure as hell don't want someone I've never met pushing their opinions on the moral code they should be following on such a sensitive subject...I'd like to do that myself thank you.